Slack-adjuster.



E. N. LUBURG.

SLACK ADJUSTER.

APPLICATION FILED Mme. 1913.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Co..WAsH|NnToN. D. c,

E. N. LUBUBG. sLAcK Amusm..

` APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. I9l3. h 1,162,180. Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WIM/mee@ lio ELLSWORTH NELSON 'LUBURiC-, OF .ARIIINGTON,V MARYLAND.

SLAGK-ADJ'USTER.

riemen.

To @ZZ iohomc't may concern.' j

l Be it known that-l, ELLswoRTirNELsoN LUBURG, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Arlington, in the county of Baltimore and State ofMaryland, have invented a new and useful Slack-AdjustergY of whichk the L following isV a speciication.

'My invention relates to improvementsin slack adjusters especially in connection with the braking and equalizing ,mechanism of automobiles; and the objectfof my improvement is the providing of automatic means of taking up the slack to maintain a fixedL amount of movement between the fully open position and thel position when the brakeis applied. j.

ln a Vco-pending application Serial No. 682,910,'iled March 11,1912, I have illustrated, described and claimed a brake adjusting device similar in general mode or' operation to that hereinafter described T he herein described "invention relates more particularly to a device combining the general principles of operation ofthat of the co-pending application with additional features of lockingv and releasing mechanisms. Y Y

A further object. of my invention is to provide a means for preventing false adjustments, that is, causing the adjustingdevices to operate improperly as mightbe they case should the brakes becomeja'mmed due to an accumulation of dirt or oreignfsubstances. V

A further object of my invention isthe providing of means of preventing the taking up oit-slack from accidental means rsuch as inadvertently tampering with the take up mechanism or other causes accidental or otl'ierwisekexcept throughthe systematic taking up through its own mechanism.

A further object o my invention is the providing of a definite means of holding or maintaining the brake-rod at a required length and outside means of' varying ysaid positive means operated by said brake rod."

A `further object of Vmywinvention isjthe providing of adjustable means offregul ating the lengthro'l the brake rod by means of stops on an independent rod operating mechanism adjusting the brake rod.

A further object of myv invention is the providing of a machine of extreme simplicity and ease of adjustment and capable of high speed in accomplishing the above desired results. y f j lVith the foregoing and other objects in view my invention consists of the novel construction, kcombination and arrangement of parts' as hereinafter specifically described and illustrated in `the accompanying drawings wherein shown the pret'erredcmbodiment of "the invention, but it is to be understood. that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted toiwhich come` within the scope of the claims hereunto app'ended. v Y

ln the Adrawings of Ythe herein *described embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 shows` a viey'v partly in section of my improved slack adjuster. Fig. 2 shows a view'of my improved slack adjuster as applied to an automobile brake. Fig. 3 isa view of the gear 'and-pinion with'the casing separated aty the joint CD. Fig. 4 is an venlarged view r5 is the-brake handle operating end AC of the brake rod.

Speccatonof Letters Patent. Patented NGV, 3051915; e Application filled March 6, 1913. Serial No. 752,414. n Y

6 is apart of the fixed frame of the auto-A mobile and to which is secured guide I through which I guide 7 operates operative rack rod 8 and on which rack rod 8 are secured stops 9 and 10. Between stops 9 and 10 on rack rodS is a sleeve 33 which is used for the purpose fof protecting the adjusting thread'on rack rodS and give a smooth rod to operate through guide 7. On the other endof the operative rack rod 8 from that workingthrough guide. 7' is rack l1 which works inside'ofcasing 12; the face of said rack being flat, the rodbeing cut away prior tothe forming of the teeth thereon as shown at 13, which construction prevents the rack from turning-over when in use.

` Rack 11 drives rack pinion 16 which pin-V ionis securedy to operative shaft 17 by being milled thereon or other convenient way. lOn i operative shaft 1'( is secured ratchet wheel 'ioo 18, which inthe drawing is integral with said shaft 17. YRatchet wheel 18 engageswith and drives gear 19 by means of teeth on the face of said gear 19 thereby forming a face ratchet. Gear 19 is loosely mounted on shaft 17 and is maintained in mesh with ratchet wheel 18 by means of spring 20 which operates in pockets in gear- 19.

Gear 19 drives pinion 21 which pinion 21 is secured to shaft 22 and on which shaft 22 is secured bevel gear 23 which bevel gear drives bevel pinion 24. Shaft 16 at one end is journaled into casing 14, which casing is screwed into and thus forms a flexible joint with casing 15, and at the other end said shaft vis j ournaled into washer 34 which washer 34 fits into a counterbore in casing l5, the shelf of which counterbore is shown at 35 in Fig. 3. Shaft 22 at one end is journaled into casing 15 and at the other end is journaled into casing 29. On the rear of bevel gear 23 are ratchet teeth 25 which are Vengaged by pin 26 which pin is held in place by spring 27. A

Brake rod end 3is secured in casing 28 by means of a male and female plug 36, the object of which plug is to facilitate the removal of brake rod 3 for repairs to thel same without removing case 28, the said plug being secured in casing`28 and4 rod 3' screwed in said plug. Brake rod' end 4 works freely through casing 29 andv works.

through bevel pinion nut 24, kwhichnut is formed integr-'al with or securedto Vbevel pinion 24, the wholecarrying one number designation. At the outer end of casing 29 is stuing gland 37 which secures packing 46 around brake rod 4 to protect the work ing parts of the same from dirt.

30 is a locking sleeve'in which casing 12 operates at one end and the other end is secured to rack rod 8. y,

31 is a felt washer secured in the end of locking sleeve 30 by means of a spring retaining wire or washer 32.

41 is a locking block secured in projections of locking sleeve 80.

42 isothe ball cradle in'which are balls 43 which balls are separated 'by means of spring 44 and are kept engaged between the inclined surfaces 45 of locking block 41 and casing 12. Ball cradle 42 is secured to rod 46 and is operated thereby. Rod 46 works through guide 47 which is secured to locking sleeve 30 and formed integral therewith.

48 is a guide secured to rack rod 8 by means of stop 10 and through which rod 46 works, thereby maintainingk rack rod 8 and locking sleeve 30 in .proper rotative position.

On rod 46 are stops 49 and 50 which are adjustable thereon and on which stops' are points or projections 51, the object of said projections being to have a more intimate and accurate contact of the same with guide pinion nut 24 is mounted in sleeve 28 by ball bearings.

The rod 4, for convenience, has an indicator groove 52 formed thereon, whichV4 serves the double purpose of carrying the lubricant through the tubular casing 29 and also servesv lto yindicate when said rod 4 has' been screwed into thevrotary nut 24 a proper distance. f

The stops 9 and 10', in practice, serve to move the rackbar 8 as they come into engagement with the ystops 49, 50 after said stops 49, 50 impinge upon the guide member 7. The drawings do not illustrate the stops 49, 50 in proper relative position with reference to the stop members 9 and 10, and the ball-cradle, but it is to be understood that when adjusted, in practice, either of the stops 50, 51 impinge a gainst the guide member 7 and move the ball-cradle to release the bar 8 for a longitudinal movement with reference `to the casing 12 and the main strain for moving the rack bar 8 is taken up by either of'the stops9 or 10. The parts are presumed to be adjusted in proper proximity the brake rod between the handle and brake or at any convenient place, guide 7 is secured to the frame or some convenient part of the automobile inisuch a position as to permit ofr the proper alinement of rack rod 8 operating therein. The stops 9 and 10 are properly adjusted on the operating rod 8 to permit a full movement vof the handle 5 from a wide open position of the brake to a` full closed position thereof. Vhen properly adjusted under these conditions, the stops 50, 49 should barely impinge upon the guide member 7. If, for any reason due to wear or other causes, the brake rod extends suiliciently to permit the lever 2 to move still farther forward, as in the case of wear upon the brakes, the stop 49 will impinge against the guide 7, moving the ball cradle and unlocking the rod 8 with reference to ,the sleeve 12. Thereupon, the stop 10 will abut against the stop 49 and the rack bar 8 will be moved to rotate the pinion 16, ratchet wheel 18, said ratchet slipping` over the teeth ofthe gear 19 without transmitting motion through the gear train. Upon releasing handle 5 and bringing the brake rods back vto initial position or wide open, before that position is reached stop 50 engages with guide 7 and stop 9enga'ges stop 50, thus.y

holding operative rack rod 8, thereby turning rack pinion 16, operating shaft 17,v

nal movement of rack rod 8 causes an equal.

longitudinal movement of the ,brake rod in taking up. rThe above feature, viz. the equal movement of the brake rod longitudinal to the longitudinal movement of the rack rod is essential to make an exact adjustment in a single backward stroke if used as shown.

Concerning the locking mechanism to provent a false movement of rack rod 8; normally rack rod 8 by means of locking block l1 and the balls 43 being forced by spring la on to the reverse inclined surfaces L15 an against casing 12, is securely locked to said casing` 12, thus preventing any relative endwise movement.

Upon reaching a point near the limit of the stroke of the combined appliance on the brake rod rack rod 8 operating through guide 7, stops 49 and 50 engage with guide 7 irst thereby operating ball cradle 42, releasing the ball at the end of the cradle, thus permitting a relative movement of the rack rod 8 and casing 12 when stops 9 or 10 engage with guide 7 through stops 49 or 50.

Guide 7 may be placed on the automobile or on an operating part so there may be a relative movement between it and operating rack rod 8.

Having thus described my inventionfwhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a slack adjuster, means Jfor taking up the brake rod to an extent equal to that traversed by the brake rod past its normal regulated movement for braking, consisting of a mechanism having a fixed movement with the brake rod and positive stop devices for preventing its movement during the excess movement of the brake rod, thereby transmitting through the excess movement motion for' taking up the brake rod as f it is moved and a clutch device normally locking the mechanism and controlled and released by the stop devices,

2. A slack'adjuster consisting of operative means oiE varying the length of the brake rod in combination with -means of locking said operative means until a predetermined point of the movement oit' said brake rod is reached and at which point automatic means of unlocking said operative means consisting of a casing moving with said brakev rod and stop relatively fixed as to said brake rod and through which a member of said operative ,means works between predetermined limits and means or locking said member to said casing until a predetermined limit is reached. c

3. A locking devicefor a slack adjuster consisting of a sleeve through which a member of said slack adjuster operates which sleeve works with said slack adjuster,y an operative end on said member operating through a relatively iixed Aguide throughV predetermined limits, means of locking said sleeve and said operative end and means of releasing said locking means by said fixed guide at a predetermined point.

4;. In a slack adjuster, means of shortening the brake rod consisting of a mechanism held at a relatively fixed point and operating to shorten the said brake rod as the same is moved, means of permitting said mechanism to have a predetermined range of movement relatively to said fixed point before operating upon said brake rod and means of locking said mechanism relative to the brake rod, means for transmitting movement from said member to the brake rod during movement of the latter and means for lockingkand releasing the reciprocating member relatively to the brake rod until* said brake rod moves abnormally.

6. In a slack adjuster, means for taking up the brake rod to an extent equal to that traversed by the brake rod past its normal regulated movement for braking, consisting of a mechanism having a fixed movement with the brake rod and a relatively iixed stop for preventing its movement during the excess movement of the brake rod, a clutch and adjustable stops controlling said clutch and cooperating with the relatively Vfixed stop' member whereby the mechanism is unlocked upon engagement of the adjustable stops and fixed stop when the brake rod moves abnormally', thereupon transmitting motion through the excess movementy of the brake rod and mechanism for taking up said brake rod as it is moved.

7 In a device of the character described, a casing in which a brake rod is secured and operated, means for drawing said brake rod into the casing, said means includingV a reciprocating rack member adapted to move with said brake rod during the normal adjusted movements of said rod, a telescopic casing about said reciprocating rack bar, a gear-train intermediate said rack bar and brake rod, a relatively fixed stop through ing are locked and released and thereby lock which said rack bar passes, a clutch device and release the reciprocating rack member 10 mounted in one Section of the telescoping upon abnormal movements of the brake rod.-

easing and having an operating rod adjustable stop members mounted uponsaid ELLSWOMH NELSON LUBURG' rod and adapted to control the clutch mem- Vitnesses: ber as `they impinge against the fixed stop 'DANL F. REISENWEBER, whereby the telescoping sections of the -eas'- JOHN A. RICHARDSON.

Copies A01 this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. y 

